In the ‘00s there were three big Conspiracy theory movies on the internet: the 9/11 conspiracy theory film Loose Change, the multi-conspiracy film Zeitgeist, and the illuminati and conspirituality film Esoteric Agenda. Esoteric Agenda is perhaps less famous than the other two, but it was just as impactful for the first generation of internet users who watched videos online.

On this episode, we talk about the movie and its creator Ben Stewart. Stewart was the singer/songwriter for an up-and-coming but unsigned band called Hierosonic. While Stewart initially made conspiracy videos to discuss topics in his songs, he soon discovered his YouTube clips were making a bigger impact than his music did. That set him on a path towards becoming a professional conspiracist that stretches to today. He now makes series for the conspirituality streaming network Gaia TV and right wing YouTuber Tim Pool. To help us learn more about Ben Stewart’s career arc Travis spoke to one time Hierosonic roadie Steven Wynne.

Travis, Liv, and Jake ponder the chicken-and-the-egg problem of the conspiracy theory media industry. What really drives the popularity of online conspiracy theories? Is it suppliers like Ben Stewart? Or does the demand for exciting misinformation create influencers like Ben Stewart?

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Music by Pontus Berghe. Editing by Corey Klotz.